Centrifugal gas compression machine

ABSTRACT

A multistage gas compressor of the horizontally split type embodying a weldment structure fabricated from metallic plate material. The outlet end structure initially includes a one-piece annular outer section having a flange abutting the end of the cylindrical barrel section of the casing housing the multistage impeller and diaphragm assembly and being welded thereto. A bearing supporting construction is fixed in the outer section. A curved plate is fixed at one end to the construction and extends in spiral configuration about the construction forming a volute gas passage. The spiral plate is supported by radially disposed web plates welded to the construction and to the spiral plate. A discharge conduit communicates with the larger end of the volute passage.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,367,567 2/1968 Burns 415/219 3,071,313 1/1963 Weisel ABSTRACT: A multistage gas compressor of the horizontally split type embodying a weldment structure fabricated from metallic plate material. The outlet end structure initially includes a one-piece annular outer section having a flange abutting the end of the cylindrical barrel section of the casing housing the multistage impeller and diaphragm assembly and being welded thereto. A bearing supporting construction is fixed in the outer section. A curved plate is fixed at one end to the construction and extends in spiral configuration about the construction forming a volute gas passage. The spiral plate is supported by radially disposed web plates welded to the construction and to the spiral plate. A discharge conduit communicates with the larger end of the volute passage.

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sum 30F 3 INVENTOR RODNEY c. BURNS ATTORNEY CENTRIFUGAL GAS COMPRESSION MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION My prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,567 issued Feb. 6, 1968, is directed to a gas compression machine embodying a casing fabricated from metallic plate material as a weldment. That construction avoided the many difficulties now prevalent in connection with the use of iron or steel castings.

This invention has as an object a gas compressing machine having a weldment type of easing embodying an arrangement which is less costly to fabricate, lighter in weight, and having fewer parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed particularly to the structural arrangement of the outlet end structure of the casing. This end structure consists of an outer section of annular form having a flange, the diameter of which is substantially the same as the main barrel section of the casing and is welded thereto. A bearing support structure is welded in the central opening of the outer end section and serves to support a bearing for the impeller shaft of the machine. A plate of spiral form is mounted intermediate the structure and the flange of the outer section and serves in conjunction therewith to form a volute gas passage gradually increasing in cross-sectional area. A discharge conduit is connected to the volute passage at the larger end thereof. The outlet end structure involves an arrangement whereby it can be fabricated by welding, including the mounting of the spiral plate much easier and with much less expense than in previous structures and whereby easy access is had to the interior of the outlet structure for inspection and cleaning and with the absence of blind pockets or cavities.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a gas compression machine embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view looking to the right of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view looking to the left of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view taken on a line corresponding to the line 4- 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a view taken on line 66 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The casing of the machine includes a central impeller housing 10 of cylindrical form and adapted to contain a multistage impeller and diaphragm assembly. An inlet end shell structure 11 is secured to one end of the housing 10 and an outlet end shell structure 12 is secured to the opposite end of the housing. The inlet end shell is provided with an inlet conduit 13, and the outlet structure is provided with a discharge conduit 14.

The outlet end shell structure consists of an outer section formed with a flange 17 of substantially the same diameter as the cylindrical housing shell. The inner edge of the flange abuts the end of the housing and is welded thereto. The flange l7 merges with an inwardly curved portion 20 which is curved radially inwardly and also axially inwardly. (See FIG. 4.) This outer section is in general of annular form; that is, it has a large central opening in which a bearing support structure in the form of cylindrical sleeve 23 is fixed as by being welded to the inner edge of the curved portion 20. The sleeve 23 extends axially inwardly toward the impeller housing and serves to support a suitable bearing assembly for support of shaft 27 indicated for convenience by member 25. It will be appreciated the conventional bearing assembly includes sealing units and other parts which do not pertain to this invention and have accordingly been omitted in the interest of clarity.

A curved plate 30 is fixedly secured at one end to the periphery of the sleeve 23, for example by being welded thereto as indicated at 31 FIG. 5. The curved plate 30 is of spiral configuration, the free end portion 32 of which is positioned a substantial distance from the sleeve 23. The plate 30, in conjunction with the outer section of the end shell, forms a volute gas passage of minimum cross-sectional area at the end 32 of the plate, and gradually increasing in cross-sectional area to the welded end of the plate at 31.

Supporting webs 33-38 are spaced apart circumferentially about the periphery of the sleeve 23 and fixedly secured thereto as by welding. The webs 33-38 progressively increase in radial length and serve to rigidly support and locate the spiral plate 30 which is welded to the outer edges of the webs. An annular member 40 is mounted intermediate the inner edge of the plate 30 and the last impeller stage of the machine indicated at 41, FIG. 4. The member 40 has a diameter such that its periphery is coincident with the end 32 of the spiral plate, whereby the gas discharged from the last stage impeller is directed into the volute passage. 7

A partition plate 43 is fixed as by welding to the periphery of the sleeve 23 and extends outwardly therefrom in a substantially tangential direction. The inner end of the plate 43 is fixed to the sleeve in proximity to the fixed end 31 of the spiral plate 30 (see FIG. 5), the plate forming a continuation of the volute passage provided by the spiral plate. The outer end of the plate 43 is welded to the flange portion 17 of the outer section of the end outlet structure. (See FIG. 5.) This flange portion 17 and the contiguous end portion of the housing 10 is formed with an opening 44, one side of which is coincident with the outer end of the plate 43. The discharge conduit 14 is welded to the outlet end shell structure in registration with the opening 44.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a baffle plate 45 is arranged intermediate the spiral plate 30 and the inner surface of the casing. One end of the baffle plate abuts against the partition plate 43 and extends therefrom in a counterclockwise direction (see FIG. 5) to approximately the location of the web 37. The inner edge of the baffle plate 45 engages the periphery of the spiral plate 30, the outer edge of the plate contacting the wall 17. The baffle is inclined toward the curved portion 20 of the outer end section. (See FIG. 6.) This baffle plate serves to direct the compressed gas in a counterclockwise direction (see FIG. 5) for movement through the volute passage to the outlet 44 thereof.

In the fabrication of the machine, the central housing 10 is rolled into cylindrical form. The end structures are welded to the ends of the cylindrical form, and the assembly is then split at diametrically opposite sides to form upper and lower semicylindrical sections 50,51.

The edges of these upper and lower sections are welded to flanges 54,55. These flanges extend along the sides of the housing 10 and also about the end sections 11,12. These flange members 54,55 are then machined off planar, and the two sections are fixed together by dowel pins (not shown) and bolts 57. The end sections 11,12 are then bored and machined to provide finished areas concentric with the axis of the machine.

A circumferentially extending groove is machined in the bore of the sleeve 23, in proximity to the inner end thereof, to receive a tang 60 formed on the annular member 40. (See FIG. 4.) The member 40 is formed in two semicircular sections, the parting line between the sections being indicated at 53, FIG. 5.

In any event, when the lower half of the casing structure is erected, the lower diffuser section can be positioned in the sleeve 23, and the lower half of the bearing 25 can be inserted in the sleeve. The top section of the member 40 and bearing 25 can be positioned in the top half of the sleeve 23.

The outlet end structure described is particularly easy to fabricate. The web plates 33-38 are readily welded to the periphery of the sleeve 23. Subsequently, the spiral plate 30 is easily welded to the outer edges of the web plates. These weldments and those for the partition plate 43 are readily accessible for fabrication of the structure. Also, the flange portion 17 of the outer section of the end structure is substantially the same diameter as that of the impeller housing, whereby the structure of the machine is compact and the weldments are easily executed, resulting in a hermetic seal between various components of the machine.

lclaim:

l. A gas compression machine comprising a cylindrical impeller assembly housing, an inlet end shell structure fixedly secured to one end of said housing, an outlet end shell structure fixedly secured to the opposite end of said housing, said outlet structure including an outer one-piece section formed with a cylindrical portion having a diameter comparable to said housing and being fixedly secured to the end thereof, said cylindrical portion merging with an inwardly curved portion terminating in an opening spaced inwardly to said curved portion, a bearing support structure fixedly secured in said opening of said curved portion, a curved plate fixedly secured at one end to said bearing support structure and extending in a spiral path about the axis of said structure, a series of web plates arranged in circumferentially spaced relation about the periphery of said bearing support structure, said web plates extending radially from said bearing support structure and being fixedly secured thereto at their inner ends, said web plates increasing progressively in radial dimension from one end of said series to the other end of said series, said curved plate overlying the outer ends of said web plates and being fixedly secured thereto, whereby said curved plate extends in said spiral path, said spirally mounted plate in conjunction with said outer section forming a volute gas passage, a partition plate extending in a tangential direction from said bearing structure to provide a discharge extension of said volute gas passage, the outer portion of said partition plate being fixedly secured to said outer section, said outer section being formed with an opening, in registration with said discharge extension, a discharge conduit fixedly sealed to said outer section in re gistration with said opening, and an annular member located intermediate the impeller assembly and the inner edge of said spirally mounted plate, said annularmember serving to direct gas discharged from the impeller assembly in said housing into said volute gas passage.

2. A gas compression machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said annular member is mounted on said bearing support structure.

3. A gas compression machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said annular member consists of a plurality of sections provided with means interlocking with said bearing support structure. 

1. A gas compression machine comprising a cylindrical impeller assembly housing, an inlet end shell structure fixedly secured to one end of said housing, an outlet end shell structure fixedly secured to the opposite end of said housing, said outlet structure including an outer one-piece section formed with a cylindrical portion having a diameter comparable to said housing and being fixedly secured to the end thereof, said cylindrical portion merging with an inwardly curved portion terminating in an opening spaced inwardly to said curved portion, a bearing support structure fixedly secured in said opening of said curved portion, a curved plate fixedly secured at one end to said bearing support structure and extending in a spiral path about the axis of said structure, a series of web plates arranged in circumferentially spaced relation about the periphery of said bearing support structure, said web plates extending radially from said bearing support structure and being fixedly secured thereto at their inner ends, said web plates increasing progressively in radial dimension from one end of said series to the other end of said series, said curved plate overlying the outer ends of said web plates and being fixedly secured thereto, whereby said curved plate extends in said spiral path, said spirally mounted plate in conjunction with said outer section forming a volute gas passage, a partition plate extending in a tangential direction from said bearing structure to provide a discharge extension of said volute gas passage, the outer portion of said partition plate being fixedly secured to said outer section, said outer section being formed with an opening, in registration with said discharge extension, a discharge conduit fixedly sealed to said outer section in registration with said opening, and an annular member located intermediate the impeller assembly and the inner edge of said spirally mounted plate, said annular member serving to direct gas discharged from the impeller assembly in said housing into said volute gas passage.
 2. A gas compression machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said annular member is mounted on said bearing support structure.
 3. A gas compression machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said annular member consists of a plurality of sections provided with means interlocking with said bearing support structure. 